Hi Susan!  And thanks for further insights.  My own history in the cult began in 1981, but it was confusing for me because a LOT of the 70's stuff was still around in our little neck of the woods.  People who'd been in the Ashrams, been to India, Kissamee, all of that--and while I found that fascinating, I wanted also to move forward and be part of something current and even forward-looking.  It was of course, a mish-mash of everything--because it was a cult ! (I didn't know that then, of course!) and there was a lot of dysfunction and confusion.  Then I had myself to deal with as well...we won't go into that!  By the way, one of the premies in this little community admitted to being molested by an iniator in India some years before!  Can you imagine that I swept this under the carpet and just assumed Prem Rawat would NEVER have allowed that!  Talk about drips that we chose not to see!

I agree with what you say about Rawat being an innocent victim of his early childhood experiences.  Really, what choice did he have back then?  But we do get to the point where the choices are a lot more critical, and a lot more damaging if we don't examine our life.  Who was it who talked about "the unexamined life" not being worth living?  I've forgotten now.  But the truth of it holds.  There must have been a point at which he KNEW what he was doing--although he's obviously confused about what he has done to himself, as well as countless others.  He must be thinking his life is good!  If material wealth by itself makes a life "good", then OK--but....there's SO MUCH MORE! 

There have been many posts that demonstrate so well that he's a cult leader, and many posts describing the symptoms of megalomania that he is such a good example of!  So I don't have anything much to add to that, and like you, there's plenty about which I would simply have to say, like you, "I don't know".  How we got into the cult, what it does to people, whose to blame for what...very murky territory I'm glad to have escaped from.  All I can say is, a healthy choice can be made when the real information is before you, and that is the best service of this forum!

Best to you, Susan!  And everyone!

~Shelagh